Ohio Football: Eat, Sleep, Live It

By Jate Nott

Story and photos by Jate Nott

He steps off the field, last game of his senior year and the fans are giving him and his brothers a standing ovation. Then just like the snap of a finger the next eight months blow by. Recruiting consumes his senior year and he finally makes that all important decision. Graduation comes and he says goodbye to friends and family as he heads off to two-a-days. He endures weeks of practice and training with every one of his teammates. Until, finally the regular season rolls around.

Jeramie Stump is a freshman on the Ohio University football team. He is currently stepping into a world that he once thought was familiar but now has changed. After he stepped off the field where he was once at the top tier of his position, now he is at the bottom of the totem poll to work his way back up again.

“Yeah, I had nerves but I knew I had to hold my own,” Stump says. “You cant be nervous because you have to live up to the expectations.”

Coming out of Grove City High School Stump was an All-State center. He was also one of the seniors who was a leader on the team. For Stump, not too much has changed: The offensive scheme that OU runs is similar to the scheme ran at his high school.

“The scheme isn’t really that different, and that’s one of the reasons I came here,” Stump says.

In his first year here at OU he was redshirted, so he did not participate in any games. (Redshirting is a term  that refers to suspending an athlete’s participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility. It is usually used on young players to give them an additional year to develop.)  As a redshirt player he spent most of his time on the practice squad.

“My responsibility was to get the defense ready for the week’s opponent, run the plays to the best of my ability and give the team confidence,” Stump relates.

Though his role is important Stump wanted to be on the field as badly as all the redshirt players.

“The first two games it was tough to get used to being on the sideline,” Stump says. “I had to fight back the emotions for the first two games.”

He exemplifies someone who is determined to become a starter in the years to come. Stump says he is happy with the system and thinks it has unique qualities.

“Coach Solich has a saying that you need to be what you’re all about,” Stump says. “He says we’re all about excellence here and we want to try to take the university to the next level.”

OU offensive coordinator Tim Albin has similar thoughts.

“Coach Solich does a lot of things to help incoming freshman because he believes that the transition is very important,” Albin says. “He tries to make it as smooth as possible for everyone and he takes them by the hand and helps them come along as needed.”

That method is helping OU advance to the next level, despite last year’s disappointing losses. One game in particular that resonates is the loss to Kent State which put them out of the Mid-American Conference Championship game, which was followed by a tough loss versus Troy in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. Despite the tough finish to last season the Bobcats will be back next year seeking that coveted MAC title…

He’s seen this field before. As a three year starter he’s been a part of a MAC title and several big games. He’s put in a lot of work and is now a full time starter. With 61 receptions, 787 yards and 6 touchdowns he has proven that he is a reliant starter and still has a very bright senior year ahead of him. Senior wideout Riley Dunlop is a redshirt senior, who is from Lakota East High School. Riley too found the transition difficult from high school to college.

“It’s no comparison to high school, almost like a culture shock,” Dunlop elaborates.

Thinking back to his first 7-on-7 Dunlop recalls the stark differences in competition level at the college level.

“I thought, ‘Wow, I came from high school being one of the best and saw all the talent around me, and now it’s a whole other level of talent,’” Dunlop says.

Even with the transition the team worked hard last season to overcome the 1-3 start. It took a combination of hard work and the team working collectively to better themselves according to Dunlop.

“Everyone came together and made it happen as a team; we didn’t have any individuals trying to do too much,” Dunlop says.

Coach Albin was particularly impressed with how the seniors overcame their rough start.

“They really banded together and stayed the course and bought into the coaching staff,” Albin says.

At the end of the season they were chosen to represent the MAC in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, which was an experience that Dunlop enjoyed.

“It’s just awesome; it was truly a great experience at the Superdome,” Dunlop describes. “I walked into the stadium and said to myself, ‘Wow, I’m in the Superdome.’”

The Louisiana Superdome hosted the Superbowl in 2010 and the R+L Carrier’s New Orleans Bowl this past year. The moment was short lived though due to OU being defeated by a score of 48-21. This upcoming season is a different story and Dunlop explains he is ready to make his debut as a senior.

“I’m excited for my senior year but as I look back its gone so fast,” Dunlop says. “I want to lead my team to its first bowl win and be the first senior class to do it.”

As a senior Dunlop will play a very important role on the team and he is ready to accept the responsibilities that come with being a leader.

“I need to be a vocal leader as well as be a good example for all the younger guys on the team because I know everyone is looking up to me,” Dunlop says.

Dunlop can be seen wearing a United States Marine Corps skull cap under his helmet and a set of dog tags under his shirt on gameday for his brother who is stationed in Afghanistan.

“My brother normally comes to all of my games but couldn’t because of his military duty,” Dunlop says. “So I wear the USMC skull cap and his dog tags as extra motivation this year. I’m playing for him.”

It has been difficult for Dunlop not having his brother in the stands, who is a catalyst to his success seen on the field.

“It’s probably the hardest thing having him gone and not here,” Dunlop says.

His brother is the gas that fuels the fire inside Dunlop to perform well every game. That fire has already created a couple memorable moments for Dunlop. His favorite moment so far in his collegiate career occurred in the 2009 season against North Texas when he was a sophomore returning punts and a reciever.

“It was a tie game and it was pouring rain at their house,” Dunlop explains. “I was returning punts and I returned one for a 40 yard touchdown. Then on the following offensive play I caught a ball and took it for a touchdown.”

The Bobcats would win that game in double overtime by a score of 31-30. Dunlop’s dynamic nature as a player will demand attention from both fans and scouts from the NFL next season…

Three people, three different roles in a football program striving for success. There is no doubt that the work ethic of these three men has carried them to where they are today. This group intends to work harder to propel this team to the top of the MAC and in the nation. For them football is a year-round commitment and doesn’t stop.

“You got to eat, breathe, and sleep football here. I never knew that was true until now,” Stump says.